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06-26-2009, 04:36 AM
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#21 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 3
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Smartycam vs Go-pro
I've had the chance to work with the Go-Pro and the SmartyCam with karts, and I was surprised to see that some of you guys get that underwater effect - we are used to living with that with karts because of the insane amount of vibration on karts, but I wasn't expecting it with cars.
With the GoPro I found the battery life very frustrating but for the money the picture quality is good and its easy to mount and little hassle to use. The SmartyCam can be charged via a usb so no hassle with batteries, and you can plug it into your ECU and it puts a rev counter, and speedo directly onto the video for you. You just whip out the sd card and play the video and it comes with all the dials and readouts you like - pretty good for impressing people with the G's you were pulling, or your top speeds etc. If you don't fancy wiring it into your ECU it uses it's internal GPS for the speedo readout, which I tried in my alfa with the camera mounted on the headrest with an elastic band lol. The GPS still gave a good reading. The gopro doesnt have its own screen, so there's a bit of guesswork when mounting it. The smartycam has a screen so you can mount the camera pointing exactly where you want Last edited by karting1 : 06-26-2009 at 04:45 AM. Reason: forgot to mention |
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06-26-2009, 07:33 AM
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#22 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 618
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I have been using a bunch of remote video camers over the years. My most used and successful is a high quality bullet cam attached to a Sony digital
camcorder. It is a bit of a bulky package but has survived all sorts of abuse from in car footage, down the side of a mountain on a bike etc, and it just keeps on ticking. I need a more compact unit so I got an Oragon Scientific ATC cam, not bad for the price, but didn't last...couldn't take the vibration on the race car and image quality was poor at best. I had the same experience with a little Samsung micro camcorder...  I was planning on building a new more compact setup when I came across this POV 1.5M Motorsports Helmet Video Camera and System | V.I.O. It looks like it will do the trick. It does not have all of the input accessory functions of the Chase Cam or AIM, but is waterproof, 12volt or battery powered and has a good track record. I should have it in a week, just in time for a track test.
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2006 Tripoint SC with 10psi pulley and Aquamist, custom 2.5" free flowexhaust, FF headers, Decat, Ohlin's, track brace, custom carbon bits 1994 Caterham 7, R400 zetec conversion in progress |
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06-26-2009, 08:55 AM
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#23 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 702
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HD video camera
I've been very happy with the Countour HD. One button on / off. 4.2 oz.
1280 x 720 at 30 FPS with 135 degree field of view If you go to SD resoluion 848 x 480 with 90 degree field of view at 60 FPS We can also attach it to a helmet for motorcycle use too. Plug and play software and compatible with Quick time, windows Moviemaker, Youtube, etc. Very compact and easy to use. Here's a link from a video I did recently...... Lotus Elise CF-T north track Autobahn Country Club 06-21-09
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2006 Diasio D962R Arancio Borealis  SOLD: 05 Elise, Benetec Carbon Fiber full body & rear wing, FF 275 turbo kit , Ikeya sequential shifter, Ohlins coilovers, Porterfield R-4, Sector 111 RTD brace & HNT pad, Yokohama A048, Caterham seats, Simpson 5 point belts, Moroso oil pan, Sector 111 Boomerang, AutoMeter CF Oil Pres-Boost-Vac gauges. No AC, heat, airbags. 1619 pounds "wet" |
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06-26-2009, 09:07 AM
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#24 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 618
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Nice image quality. I had read that the Contour HD had image shift issues, but yours doesn't show signs of that
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2006 Tripoint SC with 10psi pulley and Aquamist, custom 2.5" free flowexhaust, FF headers, Decat, Ohlin's, track brace, custom carbon bits 1994 Caterham 7, R400 zetec conversion in progress |
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06-26-2009, 11:30 AM
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#25 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 3
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When you don't fit your camera securely
if you spend a lot of money on a camera make sure you fit it better than I did, i didn't tighten a bolt properly and the bracket started swinging down and found its way between a rear tyre and side pod!
if you skip to about 3:50 on this video http://www.get-it-lit.com/?p=59 you'll hear the camera getting mashed up by the tyre! the smartycam still works though so they are pretty tough |
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06-26-2009, 12:22 PM
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#26 (permalink) |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Suburban DFW ESZ (Enforced Sameness Zone)
Posts: 240
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Last month I impulse-bought a $99 Epic "Action Sports Video Cam" at Costco that was smaller than the GoPro. It absolutely has all the limitations that Randy listed in his early post, but it's an easy way to test the video waters and the video quality isn't horrible for my very basic purposes (mostly cringing at my blown corners).
It runs on AAA batteries so it isn't teribly expensive on that front. When stuck inside the car, it has a big problem with any glare from the outside - wet grass or track or bright sunshine. It tends to wash out frequently in those situations. The audio is surprisingly good, however. A buddy and I zip-tied it to his iPhone suction mount and stuck it on top of my car to try to resolve the light level problem. That worked, but of course the audio was terrible and it made the car look like a TeleTubbie. All in all, I completely agree with Randy. It's a cheap way to try out the idea, then move up if you want good quality and data recording.
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'05 Elise |
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